We still Friends?
by Soul of Ashes
Summary: Axel and Roxas share an iced latte in TWTNW, fight a little, goof off, and reaffirm their friendship. User friendly cuteness and fluff. Spoilers.


Author's Notes: Since everyone at Livejournal community dancinglight loved this fanfic, enough to make a doujinshi out of it, you all can enjoy the goodness that is non-smutty, fluff-like Axel and Roxas hanging out. Please give it a read, and I hope you enjoy it!

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**"We Still Friends?"**

There were windows made of water in the pavement. Roxas gazed into the one next to his scuffed left boot, his bare toes wiggling and making ripples in the clear, luminescent liquid. His blonde hair felt greasy with sweat, his skin clammy and sickeningly tight around his viscera. He tempted fate by stepping into the puddle further, pulling the hem of his long cloak up so as to avoid getting it wet, and watched as his toes disappeared beneath the surface of the darkened rain puddle.

A boot scraping on the sidewalk lurched him out of the bizarrely innocent moment. Lifting his eyes, which could have absorbed the adoration of anyone who looked into them, he gazed chillingly through his stringy hair at the red-headed comrade of his, whose smirking, I-got-a-secret-and-I-won't-tell facade never fooled Roxas. There was a frightening sparkle of mischief in Axel's eyes, and Roxas didn't trust it even though they'd been best friends for as long as they'd been in the Organization.

"So, what exactly are you doing? That water's pretty nasty."

"Really?" Roxas made a show of looking at his feet again, before he noticed Axel bending down to grab his boots from where they were on the curb.

"Silly. You're going to get your feet all scummy. Get outta there and let's get a bite to eat." His tone bordered on the dangerous edge of boredom and, even more dangerously, cruel mischief. He stepped away from Roxas, tossing his boots to him with a snort of impatience. "Hurry up, man! Get yer shoes on and we'll find someplace that will actually serve food rather than run away in terror."

"It's not my fault they run away in terror, you know. Besides," Roxas replied in annoyance, hopping on one foot as he shook off the water from his heel before shoving his foot into darkness. He quickly followed with the other, thunking along after Axel. "What good is it anyway? They sooner we get there, they'll run away that much quicker."

"Then there's nobody to stop us from taking what we want, now, is there?" Axel laughed, throwing back his head, his furious mane of crimson hair trembling like fragile leaves. His laugh mocked the very heavens which were still painfully pricked with points of light. The rain had come and gone quickly.

"Just let me buy it," Roxas said quickly, reaching to stop Axel from storming into the bakery just across the street, its neon-sign all warmly glowing. The scent was enough to make his mouth water, and with a sigh, Axel conceded.

Shortly, the pair had alighted on the top of a building with their feet dangling over the edge. Axel unzipped a jacket in order to hold his can of soda between his thighs, slowly sinking his teeth into a chocolate-coated donut. Roxas was enjoying his chocolate eclaire and iced latte, a soft murmur of appreciation dripping from his throat as he tasted the joyousness that was sugar, and his coffee that soothed his somewhat scratchy throat.

His gaze followed the line of the horizon, made fanged by the numberless spikes stabbing up into the heavens, black, sparkle-encrusted things with gold light twinkling in the distance. He tilted his head back, sighing as the taste of food turned to ash in his mouth, his mind slowly dissolving back into his daydream...

Suddenly he felt a sharp jab against his arm, and Axel was leaning over, glaring at him. "Hey, I was tryin' to talk to you and you completely zoned out on me!"

"Sorry. I just don't know what's coming over me late-- H-Hey, cut it out!"

"You're letting it get warm," the redhead growled, having acquired a firm hold on his iced drink. "'Sides, caffeine, man. It'll stunt your growth."

They battled over the latte for a few seconds, spilling most of it on themselves before Roxas finally gave up with a final coup de grace, upending the entire cup over Axel's head. "Fine! How's that? Cold enough for you?"

Axel tensed up, shoulders hunching tightly up to his ears, nearly, before he opened his eyes again, wincing as a cold stream of icy fluid dripped down his back. "You..."

"Bet you love your caffeine now, don't ya?" the smug boy replied, stuffing the last of his eclaire into his mouth, messily licking up the chocolate. "Gotcha."

"... little..." A slur of insults hung precariously from the other's tongue, ready to fire off at a moment's notice. But instead, he transferred that energy into tackling his blonde companion to the hard concrete of the building. The pair tumbled around each other like lion cubs, exchanging half-hearted smacks and blows that gradually became rougher, physical attacks. Finally, Roxas's mischief won him a smarting blow that left his lip open and bleeding a fiery trail of red that alarmed him.

Axel, always devouring opportunity after opportunity, pinned Roxas while he was stunned and glared down at him, sporting a fresh bruise on his eye himself. "Give up?" A single gloved finger reached out and dabbed at the blood on the other's puffy lip.

Roxas panted, defiance in every line of his face. "You... owe me... another iced latte," he responded breathlessly. "And a bandaid. And lots and lots of chocolate!"

"Aw. Sorry, champ. Maybe next time you won't be such a little sparrow and try to peck my eyes out. And why should I get you another one, after what you did with the first one?" Axel smiled, still busily wiping blood from his cheek. It stung horribly; Roxas lifted his hand to stop him but the flame-haired Nobody snatched his wrist and pinned it to the ground. "You're being a bad boy lately, aren't you? What put you in such a naughty mood?"

"N-Nothing," Roxas muttered, feeling the skin on his broken lip crack open and bleed with fresh warmth. With an enormous effort, the young man fought Axel's weight again, who weighed a considerable amount more than he did. Axel chuckled over his efforts with a sinister amusement. "Aw, c'mon. Get off!"

"You haven't apologized to me yet. Haven't you remembered not to mess with me?" Axel's face scrunched up slightly as he watched a droplet of iced latte run down his nose before he wiped it off. "Alright. Repeat after me: Never... mess... with... Axel."

Roxas glared, a righteously pissed set to his jaw. But he mumbled, "Never mess with Axel."

Axel smiled broadly, his voice a teasing purr. "Got it memorized?"

Roxas nodded with a sigh.

"Good." With a patronizing pat to Roxas's cheek, he stood up and shook out his hair slightly, pouting as he muttered about hair and shampoo and split ends. Roxas stood up as well, rubbing his jaw and sighing about medicine and healing spells. Maybe he had a Potion somewhere on him that he'd forgotten all about. While he was searching his pockets, Axel was watching him with an unreadable intensity.

Roxas popped the cork on the potion and devoured it, feeling its sparkling champagne-like warmth flood his cheeks and his face. Whenever he smelled the potion as he drank it, a feeling of nostalgia filled him once again, like standing in the puddle and gazing at the shyness of the stars. It reminded him of places he probably may have been to, hinting at the saltiness of the sea and the freshness of the wind, sunlight on his face, the smoothness of sand between his fingers. But that was probably someone else's tale, and he had an obligation to fulfill his own blank one.

"We still friends?" Axel asked at length, surprising Roxas into dropping his emptied potion over the edge of building. He watched it fall. He heard its bell-like shatter echo like a cry of bitter renewal.

"Don't be stupid," Roxas replied, turning at him with his repaired smile. Looking at Axel's eyes brighten up with gladness sent his heartless soul to blazing. He shoved himself underneath his arm, feeling Axel squeeze his head under his arm. His head and all of his blonde spikey hair popped through and he smiled up at his friend warmly. "Let's get you all cleaned up. We'll use my place, eh, Axel?"

Axel gave a small, modest smile. "Sure."

The pair tugged their hoods up, though the need was hardly great, but it just felt better to be companionable when no one could see their faces. Then they walked away together, disappearing around the corner to find the door that would lead downstairs.

Owari


End file.
